Role: Practical Instructor – Equine Management
Location: Shuttleworth College – Old Warden
Salary/Benefits: Salary between £26,780 and £31,415 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.
Hours/Weeks: 37hrs per week
Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time
About the role:
We are currently seeking a Practical Instructor in Equine Management to join our Animal Sciences department at The Bedford College group.
As a Practical Instructor, you play an important role in the success of our students through:
1. Equine Instruction & Student Support – Deliver engaging, practical sessions in equine care and riding, tailored to meet individual learner needs and support their development.
2. Horse Care & Welfare – Maintain high standards of horse care, including mucking out, paddock maintenance, and ensuring the health, behaviour, and welfare of all horses.
3. Yard & Resource Management – Oversee the equine centre and practical areas, ensuring safety, cleanliness, and readiness of horses and equipment for teaching and events.
4. Communication & Collaboration – Act as a key contact in the absence of the Equine Centre Manager, liaising with staff, students, livery owners, and external agencies.
5. Compliance & Development – Uphold safeguarding, equality, and health and safety standards, while actively participating in training, development, and college-wide initiatives.
About you:
6. Qualifications & Industry Knowledge – Holds a Level 3 qualification in Horse Management and BHS Stage 3 Coach certification, with up-to-date knowledge of equine industry practices and yard safety.
7. Experience & Practical Skills – Brings hands-on experience in the equine sector, including working with livery clients, maintaining high standards of horse care, and riding horses as required.
8. Student Support & Learning Delivery – Demonstrates the ability to deliver high-quality, supportive learning experiences, contributing to a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.
9. Organisation & Communication – Highly organised and self-motivated, with strong communication skills and the ability to manage equipment, resources, and documentation effectively.
10. Professionalism & Flexibility – Committed to safeguarding, continuous development, and promoting the College’s reputation, with a flexible approach to working hours and locations, and a full driving licence.
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy. Please note that the working pattern for this vacancy is Sunday – Thursday.
Interviews to be held: TBC – Please note that as part of the interview you will be required to ride a horse, and the college does have a 13 stone weight limit.
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
11. Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
12. Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
13. Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
14. Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
15. Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
16. Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.